Ahhh back at work (or should I say, back on the Dark Souls forum). ^_^

Hope yall had a good christmas and are looking forward to the new year.

I've actually got Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (argh too many t's). Also i'll be looking to play Demon's Souls again at some stage.
I'm still gonna post in this forum but I think Dark Souls may be off my gaming radar for a while. I've completed the game 5 times, become an decent invader and pissed many people off, become an sunbro and helped people defeat the bosses and got the platinum trophy.

But I love the stories of the people in this forum and helping others. So I will continue to assist. Praise The Sun!!! \o/

@Goodfella - I'm a darkmoon+3 and if i'm honest, sunlight weapon has been just as (if not more) effective than the darkmoon buff. For PvE the Darkmoon buff will be more powerful against most enemies (especially if you've levelled up in the covenant.
Due to the 'cheapness' of the magic obtained from the DLC, it seems asthough alot of people tend to use high magic-defence equipment (crest shield). So the lightning damage provided by sunlight weapon seems to cut through peoples shield more. I'd say sunlight blade (even at darkmoon+3) is just as effective in PvP.
I actually use both though. I use sunlight blade as soon as I see my opponent, and then if I get a chance to rebuff my weapon, I apply the darkmoon.

I've consigned myself to being so terrified of catching the addiction bug that I think I am pathologically unable to anything but occasionally dip in and out and make tiny baby steps each time between six month gaps of not playing. Fucking love the game, but the stories of 2000+ hour save files make me fearful of ever being able to have a hope of ever giving in to my desire to bathe in its glory because of the effect it would have on my "to-play" pile gradually mounting up.

I predict I might actually complete my first playthrough by 2253 if they hurry up and work out the kinks in the practicality and affordability of cryogenics as a way to cheat death.

@Goodfella - Alot of the people I invade have crest shield, the odd few use magic barrier. Good stats, almost the same as mine only my strength is at 20 and I have lower VIT.

If you're brand new to PvP, just make sure of a few things...
1) All your armour/weapons/equipment is upgraded to the max it can be (or closest without using a slab if its through normal upgrade path, and you want to keep a slab for something else.)

2) Being new to PvP, you might want to tank up abit to save you from heavy-strength based weapons. So try and get as much poise as you can. (Obviously, you can choose different parts of heavy sets without using too much weight. For example, wearing Havels gauntlets, alone, will boost your poise, but not take up a massive amount of equipment burden.)

3) Organise which miracles you're gonna use. I use great magic barrier, wrath of the gods, sunlight blade and dark moon blade.
You'll find after a few fights what your weakness is in a fight, whatever weakness you find, they'll normally be a miracle or item you can use to strengthen it.

4) Choose an area to invade, and learn where you can run to, I don't like running away from fights, but sometimes people fight you cheaply (dark magic), some people estus during fights, some people fight 2 or 3-on-1.

Also a few items you should normally take with you when invading.
I use LLoyds Talisman's on people, I generally throw one as soon as assume someones running away to estus regen. Also endurance grass is handy in some fights (especially when you've run out of great magic barriers etc). Weapon buffs are handy if you run out of miracle ones. Humanity can heal you even if you're invading.

Another miracle to really, really annoy people when you've got a new character joining the PvP... Vow of Silence Uses up two slots but seeing people wave their wands ineffectually is quite amusing. I will admit to getting a little bit sick of all the Dark Magic users out there - so I've been using GMB and VoS more often than I have most other spells.
It's a real shame in fact that there's no pyromancy weapon buffs, I would really appreciate a fire or chaos weapon buff and it would make sense to have at least the one
Either way, a good place to practice PvP is in the Burg. You get the highest proportion of low level invaders right there. For the most part you can learn the basics while only really having to worry about pyromancy if you've got a low level char. If you're practising invading, try the lower undead burg as many people who reach there are also newbs and the fights are fairly even. If you want to jump into the deep end head first then go to Darkroot Garden and play forest hunter/hunted

@Elathron - I do like Vow of Silence, however the 2 slots it takes up doesnt really make it worth it. Especially as Great Magic barrier is almost better, it protects you so much against any magic attacks, whether Vow of Silence tends to scare people into running away. Plus it means you can attack people while they're casting, without worrying about dieing.
Also great magic barrier stops you taking almost any damage from magic-buffed weapons, or (my favourite) when you fight someone whose using the moonlight great sword.
That sword does practically no damage when you've got great magic barrier equipped.

@Goodfella - As you have 16 strength, make an occult claymore+5. Its a sweet PvP and PvE weapon, especially if you take on someone with little poise or armour. ^_^

@Architect_z - Yup, I agree there. But the problem is - that I've found - that GMB doesn't stop spells from stunning you. A CSP will still stun me (even though it does sod all damage), despite the fact that I have 84 poise and a shed load of health!!! I use VoS when I know someone will fight dirty - for example, when I see another one of the semi naked sorcs using TCC, Bellowing DC and the Dusk Crown. You can be sure those guys have maxed out their int and dex at high levels, but have ignored end. in favour of rolling at

Was back on PvP recently. It's certainly changed; Darkroot Garden still has the Giant Armour wearing gankers and their friends, but it's funny seeing them plod along at a slow pace now that DWGR has been nerfed (I still use it).

The Dark magic is annoying; not because of how powerful it is but how it's now the new WoTG. People generally fight fair but as soon they dip in health they spam Dark Bead, which is an annoying spell to try to dodge.

I miss my Hornet Ring, but the Leo Ring has proven to be a great substitute Two hand R2 Silver Knight spear at someone doing the silly jumping attack with the Scythe does satisfying damage.

@senso-ji - Amen to that. I get a lot of messages from people in Darkroot thanking me for not being a ganker!!! I only ever fight 1vs1, only summoning friends who don't mind not being healed or helped mid-fight.
I don't get the mentality of those who will just sit there with a friend ganging up on those who invade them? Other than free souls and a hollow sense of victory - what is there to be gained?
Haven't tried the Leo ring in PvP, I find having Havel's and the RoFaP is far handier as I can wear some pretty heavy stuff and still roll at the

I always wear the RoFaP, at the moment i've got havels ring, and wearing big armour and have a big occult claymore. But I liked having hornets ring and an occult rapier+5 as a second weapon, it took so much HP if someone tried to estus regen. ^_^
Not tried the Leo ring, I use a baldur side sword, so i'm assuming it could be a good weapon to use with that ring.

@teamHAM - I always thought so, both wear the Elite Knight set and it makes sense as you meet him a few mins later.
Question - where he stands is one of the few areas of the game you can't reach isn't it? I can't think where you can drop down a hole back into your cell...

Yeah I figured that was the most likely candidate, but then again with this game you never know. Just one line in the conversation you have with Oscar like "Oh, you made it" would have cleared it up but oooooohhhhhh no they couldn't possibly do that!

And yeah, the starting cell it outside the gameworld (and iirc it comes up as underground on the 3d map viewer software) so you cannot get there (discounting some glitch or whatever).

Seriously, just take it really slow and watch out for the gits who throw poison daggers at you, they can be very hard to spot and before you know it you're afflicted with Toxic, which eats away at your health for ages. Get some Blooming Purple Moss Clump before you head there.

Alternatively, bypass (most of) the whole terrible place completely if you have the master key by taking the easy short cut via Firelink Shrine and down the lift to New Londo.

That. And don't miss any of the loot on the way down, there's some really good stuff up in the rafters (and down "below" ) that will be useful no matter what path you've chosen...

I do indeed have the master key... But I'm currently by the bonfire in the depths (near the door to Blighttown) is it worth going back for the shortcut? Can I miss out Blighttown altogether? It sounds like a really soul destroying place!